Railway-switch-shifting mechanism.



No. 712,074. Patented Oct. 28, I902.

E. w. KEYES. 1

RAILWAY SWITCH SHIFTING MECHANISM.

(Application fllepl Mar. 17, 1902.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES} iNVENTOR 7 Max/5 g g, a v

- I ATTORNEYS.

NI'IED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST W. KEYES, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO EDWARD G. OONNETTE, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

RAlLWAY-SWlTCH-SHIFTING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,074, dated October 28, 1902.

Application filed March 17, 1902.

T whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST W. KEYES, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the" State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway Switch- Shifting Mechanism, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description. I

My invention relates to improvements in sWitch-shiftin g mechanisms, and particularly to that class which are operated from the car.

The object of this invention is to provide means adapted to be automatically operated from'a moving car forthrowing the switch to the desired, position and for holding the same in either position independently of the propelling mechanism for the car.

Another object is to so construct and arrange the parts as'to obviate anyliability of injury to the operating parts should the motion of the car be reversed after passing the switch-operating mechanism.

To this end the invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the parts of an automatic switch-operating mechanism, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a 0 top plan of a switch-point and my improved mechanism for operating same, showing a portion of the adjacent rail and frog upon which the switch-point is mounted. Fig. 2 is a sideielevation of the parts seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isaface view of aportion of the switchoperating mechanism, showing particularly the rock-lever and plunger and means for transmitting motion from the plunger to the lever, the plunger being in itsnormal position and the rock-lever being shown in one of its operating positions. Fig. 4 is a face view of the parts seen in Fig. 3, the plunger being shown in its operative position and the lever as moved to the reversed position from that seen in Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken on lines 5 5 and 6 6, Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a portion of the switch-operating mechanisn1,showing the effect upon the mechanism carried by the car when the motion of the car is reversed with- Serial No. 98,631. (No model.)

out releasing the operating mechanism. Fig. Sis a horizontal section taken on line 8 8, Fig. 2, showing particularly the bell-crank and its connection with the switch-point;

Similar reference characters indicate corre- 5 5 sponding parts in all the views.

One of the essential features of this invention is to operate the switch in reverse directions by means of a single movable member suitably mounted in proximity to one of the rails at a convenient distance from the switchpoint, whereby the switch may be thrown to the desired position by manually-controlled mechanism before the car reaches the switch.

In the drawings I have shown a switchpoint 1, mounted upon a frog 2 in proximity 'to arail 3 of the main line and a turnoutrail 4..

The means for shifting the switch-point in reverse directions preferably consists of a bell-crank lever 5, a rock-lever 6, a plunger 7, and a shoe or roller 8 for operating the plunger..

One arm of the lever 5 is connected by a link 9 to the switch-point, and the other arm is connected by a link 10 to a substantially central upwardly-extending arm 11, provided upon the rock-lever 6, so that as the lever 6 is rocked in reverse directions similar reverse movement is transmitted to the switch-point 8o 1. This rock-lever 6' is pivoted at 12 to a suitable supporting-frame 13 and is provided with arms 14, extending in opposite directions from'the pivot-12, these arms being of substantially the same length and about equidistant from the central'arm 11. The lever 6 is adapted to rock in a substantially vertical plane and is provided with a depending V-shape or pointed shoulder 15, cooperating with a spring-detent 16 in such manner as to hold the lever in either ofits adjusted positions, the engaging end of the detent being in a vertical plane directly beneath the pivot 12 and is constructed in the form of an in verted V for the purpose of facilitating the shifting movement of the rock-leverthat is, as soon as the point of the shoulder 15 passes the corresponding point of the detent 16 in either direction the inclined faces of said shoulder 15 and pointed end of the detent 10o engage each other and the spring of the detent, which is tensioned toward the pivot 12, causes the inclined faces of the detent to ride upon the inclined face of the shoulder 15, and thereby augments the rocking of the lever 6.

Pivotally mounted upon the outer extremities of the arms 14 of the lever 6 are pawls 17, having upward extensions 18 and laterally-extending counterbalances 1.9,which normally tend to rock the extensions 18 outwardly into contact with shoulders 20, provided upon the frame or casing 13, the counterbalances 19 serving to rock the extensions 18 outwardly and the shoulders 20 serving to prevent undue outward movement of the upward extensions. The upper edges of each of these extensions 18 are provided with notches 21, which are adapted to receive engaging ends of suitable pawls, hereinafter described.

The casing 13 may be of any desired form, size, or construction and is usually secured to one of the rails at a convenient distance from the free end of the switch-point, being provided with apertured ears 22, which receive clamping-bolts 23, engaged with the rail or other support in proximity thereto. Although I have described this casing as being secured in proximity to one of the rails, it is evident that it may be supported midway between the rails or at the outside thereof, the exact position being immaterial. This frame or casing 13 is recessed to receive the lever 6 and pawls 17 and is provided with upwardly and inwardly inclined bearingfaces 24, which are adapted to be engaged by the extensions 18 for automatically rocking the pawls 17 inwardly upon their pivots against the action of the counterbalances 19 as said pawls are elevated by the rocking of the lever 6 in reverse directions.

The plunger 7 is reciprocally movable in ways 25, provided in the casing 13, and is held in its normal up position by suitable means, as a spring 26, which is interposed between a shoulder 27, provided on the frame 13, and a shoulder 28 on the plunger 7, said plunger being usually provided with a substantially central opening or slot to receive the lug or projection 27 and spring 26, the lower end of the slot forming a suitable stop for limiting the upward movement of the plunger, and the upper end of the slot forms the seat 28 for the upper end of the spring 26.

Mounted upon the lower end of the plunger are pawls 29, having shoulders 30, adapted to engage the grooves or notches 21 as the plunger is depressed for rocking the lever 6 in reverse directions. These pawls 29 are mounted in suitable recesses 31 in the front and rear faces of the plunger and are pivoted at their outer ends at 32, their inner ends being weighted and adapted to normally hold the shoulders 30 in position to engage or register with the notches 21 when the extensions 18 are alternately forced into the path of the shoulders 30 by the inclined faces 24.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that after one end of the lever 6 is depressed the pawl 17 on the depressed end is automatically forced outwardly by the counterbalance 19, so that its notch or shoulder 21 is out of the path of the adjacent shoulder 30 of the pawl 29, while the pawl 17 on the elevated end of the lever 6 being moved inwardly by contact with the inclined face 24 its shoulder 21 is forced into the path of movement of the adjacent shoulder 30 of the pawl 29. As the plunger is forced downwardly the shoulder 21 of the elevated pawl is engaged by the shoulder 30 of the adjacent pawl and motion is thereby transmitted to the lever 6 for depressing the elevated end and elevating the opposite end of the lever 6 at the next successive operation of the plunger 7. It is thus evident that at each successive operation of the plunger 7 the pawls 17 are alternately moved into the path of their respective operating-shoulders 30 and the lever 6 is correspondingly operated in the reverse directions. As the plunger is moved downwardly in depressing one end of the lever it is obvious that the other end is forced upwardly and inwardly into engagement with the outer end face of the adjacent pawl, and were it not for the fact that the recess 31 is sufficiently large to permit the upward swinging movement of the weighted end of the pawls said upward and inward movement of the pawl 17 would bind upon the outer ends of the adjacent pawls 29; but this enlarged recess permits the weighted ends of the pawls 29 to move upwardly, and therefore prevents any binding or injurious effect upon either of the pawls 18 or 19, the weighted ends serving to return the pawls 29 to their normal positions as soon as released from engagement with the adjacent pawls 17.

The upper end of the plunger is provided with a curved bearing-face extending lengthwise of the rails and adapted to be engaged by the roller 8 as the car approaches the switch. This roller 8 is mounted upon the intermediate portion of the link or rock-arm 33, having one end pivoted at 34 to the body of the car, and its other end is loosely connected to an arm 35, also pivoted to the car at 36, thus forming a toggle connection between the pivots 34 and 36.

Mounted upon the pivot 34 is a bell-crank 37, having one end connected by a link 38 to one end of an operating-lever 39, the other end of the bell-crank lever being extended above the link 33, and a spring 34 is interposed between the latter arm and the link 33 in such manner that the roller 8 is forced into operative position under the yielding force of the spring 34 when the lever 39 is actuated in one direction. This spring is of greater car be reversed when the lever 39 is locked,

it being understood that a suitable locking device, such as 40, is provided for holding this lever in its adjusted position. The action of this part of the operating mechanism is as follows: When desired to operate the plunger, the lever 39 is drawn in the direction indicated by arrow as, which forces the roller 8 downwardly into the path of the bearing-face 7 through the medium of the link 38, bell-crank 37, and spring 34, the links 33 and 35 being so arranged that when the roller is forced to its operative position the pivotal connection between the links 33 and 35 forms a toggle-lock to additionally hold the roller 8 in its operative positionthat is, the pivotal connection between the links 33 and 35 is in a plane in a straight line drawn between the pivots 34 and 36. If for any reason the motion of the car should be reversed when the roller is thus locked in position, the engagement of the roller with the bearing-face 7 would cause an upward movement of said roller against the action of the spring 34 and would also break the toggle-lock between the links 33 and 35, it being understood that the pivoted ends of said links 33 and35 would be similarly forced upwardly by the contact of the roller 8 with the bearing 7. It must be borne in mind, however, that the spring 34 is sufficiently strong to offset the tension of the spring 36 under normal conditions when the car is moved forwardlyin taking the switch.

The bell-crank 5 is pivoted at 41 to a suitable fixed support in proximity to the switchpoint, and the links 9 and 10 are usually rigid connections adapted to transmit motion in either direction.

The supporting frame or casing for the plunger 7 and operating-lever 6, together with the pawls attached thereto, is preferably provided with a removable wall 42, capable of being removed without interfering with the various operating parts or with the connection of the frame to the rail or other support, the essential advantage being that the working parts may be almost entirely inclosed, and yet are accessible by simply removingv this plate when it is desired to repair or replace any of the parts. I

The operation of my invention will now be, readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it will be noted that. some change may be made in the detail construction and arrangement of .both the mechanism carried by the car and the shifting mechanism mounted in proximity to the rails without departing from thespirit of my invention. Therefore I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In combination with a switch-point, a rock-lever connected to move the point in reverse directions, a detent holding the lever in either position, a plunger and means on the car for operatingthe same, gravity-pawls on the plunger'and lever and inclined bearing-faces all coacting to rock the lever in reverse directions by successive operations of the plunger.

2. In combination with a switch-point, a rock-lever connected to move the point in reverse directions, a detent holding the lever in either position, a plunger and means on the car for operating the same, gravity-pawls on the plunger and lever and inclined bearing-faces all coacting to rock the lever in reverse directions by successive operations of the plunger.

3. In combination with a switch-point and a bell-crank having one arm connected thereto, a link connected to the other arm, a rocklever connected to the link, pawls mounted on the lever at opposite sides of its pivot, rocking devices on the plunger for alternately engaging the pawls and rocking the lever in reverse directions, and additional means carried by the car and controlled by the operator for engaging and operating the former means.

4. In combination with a switch-point, a rocking lever connected to the switch-point to move the same in reverse directions,pawls on the lever, a plunger moving between the pawls, pawls on the plunger to engage the former pawls alternately ateach successive movement of the plunger, a contact member yieldingly supported by the car, and means for forcing the contact member into engagement with the plunger.

5. In combination with a switch-point, a single movable member and connections including separate pairs of movable pawls be tween said member and the switch point whereby the successive operation of said member moves the .switchin reverse directions, toggle-arms pivoted to the car, a contact member on one arm to engageand operate the former member, an operating part actuated by the operator on the car, and a yielding connection interposed between the operating part and one of the arms whereby the contact member is held to its work under yielding pressure.

6. A contact member and an operating-lewhereby the contact member is held to its In witness whereof I have hereunto set my Work under yielding pressure for the purpose hand this 14th day of March, 1902. described, in combination With a lunger enr 1 gaged and actuated by said mer ber, pawls ERNEST KEYED carried by the plunger, a lever actuated by Witnesses:

said pawls, and a switch-point connected to H. E. CHASE,

and. actuated by said lever. MILDRED M. NOTT. 

